Space Between Two Worlds
by plink
Summary: Once you've died you've lost your name. Not that it stops SOME people...a phone call, a crowd, and an unusual meeting of the living and the 'dead'. Post chap89 X3 oneshot


_Kyaaa! Massive spoilers up to chapter 89 and stuff! WHOO-HOO DUN READ IF YOU LIKE RAITO/L!_

**Space Between Two Worlds**

It was a beautiful day.

It's funny how death makes you feel so good, he pondered, only just resisting the need to doze in the warm rays of light that washed over him. His cane resting against his knee, the young man watched the people mill back and forth in front of him, watched them, and thought.

No, not _thought_ exactly.

More like remembered.

He'd come through here a little while ago. No, not a little while ago, it had been years, it only _seemed_ like a time because he'd been asleep. Coma. Dead. What? Things had changed. Oh, he remembered, but sometimes things just…wandered off in his mind space and left him marvelling at the intricacy of the veins of a leaf, or perhaps the divine taste of store bought chocolate. His concentration lagging was a bother, but there were more important things at hand…

The mobile phone rested in his lap.

He didn't like them, but they did have a use.

Like now.

It rang, and he felt a warm glow inside, picked it up and did his best to remember how the nurse had told him to hold it.

"…Hello?"

A pause, an intake of breath. He smiled at nothing but faded photographs in his mind.

"…So it's true…" Came the whisper and the rustle of foil. "You're…"

"Not _altogether_, but there's enough of me here." He rasped happily. "I do hope you will share that when we meet."

He could almost hear the smile. "Anything for _you_!"

"Can you put me in touch with Near, Mello?"

"No." The disappointment broke his heart.

"Mello, dearest, I didn't mean it that way-"

"I know, I _know_…" A sigh. "He's just…close. _Very_ close."

"…Does Kira know?"

"…I don't know. Yes? No. He hasn't made his move yet."

The man nodded, even though it could not be heard. With his free hand he clasped the cane and tapped it against the ground, thoughtfully. "…A waiting game, yes?"

"Yes."

"Are you playing bait?"

"…Yes."

The man frowned, and Mello was already ahead.

"…Near is very, very close. This isn't about he and I anymore. It was always about you."

He smiled.

"…What matters is that we stop Kira, and we are _close_. We think that-"

"Yagami Light, the second L, is Kira."

Mello whined. "Yes! We need proof."

"I know." The man stood up, though unsteadily and began to walk. It would be a long walk for sure but the therapist told him it was important to move his leg. Besides, he knew where he had to be.

"Where are you? I want to see you!"

"You will, soon, Mello. Be patient. Keep going."

The boy grunted down the phone, upset and surly. He couldn't help but smile again.

"I will tell you where I am, provided you do not try and find me."

"You will!"

"Yes. But promise me not to disturb Near. It's important he does his job, and you do yours."

"It felt weird getting your message…"

"I plan ahead, Mello. I had to." A pause, as he continued to walk up the street. Pause. Regain bearings. Ah, yes. "…I'm in front of the old place we worked in."

"…This close!"

He grinned again, wider. "Mello, dearest, are you watching?"

"Wait, where _are_ you, I can't see you, _wait_-"

He leaned on his cane and felt the people move around him, a crowd in lunch time rush hour, pouring out of the buildings all around him. Waiting among them, he heard one last gasp from the third in command before he turned off the mobile. Mello had seen him. Visual confirmation was perfect for them, it always had been.

A door opened, and another young man stepped out onto the street with a young woman attached to his arm and tugging, restlessly. He'd missed them in a strange sort of way.

_Go on, look up. I dare you._

He could actually hear the light ticking over. Waiting to go green.

Then their eyes met.

Two years in a coma hadn't destroyed as much as it should have done, apart from that problem with his leg. L's hair was longer, his body thinner than before, if that were possible, but he could smile now and appreciate the look of absolute terror on Light's face for that split second before it hardened into rage. The Shinigami hadn't written his name in very well because it was already disintergrating, it had been a _gamble_, but it had _paid off_…even if it was Watari's idea, and Chief Yagami-san had played along perfectly... Poor things.

L squared his shoulders, doing his best to stand up straight and walk forward as the two walked stiff-legged towards him. Misa kept staring and staring at him, searching for something that was no longer there. A pause, two like minds meeting in a sea of mediocrity. They shared no words. Light was trying for the life of him, not to believe what he was seeing, and worse still, that Misa couldn't see the name to seal the deed properly. L lightly stepped onto the curb in his nice, shabby sandals, and wriggled his toes with pleasure at simply being able to walk in the sun and entertain the possibility of tea and chocolate at some random café.

L laughed. Laughed and laughed and _laughed_.

The dead don't have need for names, do they?

"Only a matter of time, Yagami-kun."

**/ end**

_L died too quickly in the manga. I swear he's still alive. And I'm not implying any relationship other than friendship between L and Mello, I think they and Near were probably very close ;p L's alive 'cos Rem was already dying after killing Watari and possibly wouldn't have been able to concentrate fully on L's real name. More to the point, why was it Chief Yagami who told them he was dead and not a doctor…:3 If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but it's all too easy in my book…mweehehehehe…_

_Don't mind me, I just love L :3_


End file.
